First Reading — Micah 2:1-5
Rashi
On 2:1
and work evil on their bed—All night they decide in their hearts how they will perform evil in the morning.
On 2:2
and houses, and they take—This refers back to “and they covet.” They covet houses.
and they take Heb. וְנָשָׂאוּ, like וְלָקָחוּ, and they take.
On 2:4
and he shall lament, “A lamentation has come about…” Heb. וְנָהָה נְהִי נִהְיָה. וְנָהָה is a future tense, like וְעָשָה, and he shall make, and וּפָנָה, and he shall turn. The lamenting one shall lament and say, “A lamentation has come about in the world. Now what is the lamentation that has come about?...” They have robbed us! Heb. שָׁדוֹד נְשַׁדֻּנוּ. Our enemies have robbed us, The prophet uses the expression נְשַׁדֻּנוּ, in which there is a “nun” in the beginning, and does not use שַׁדוּנוּ, because נְשַׁדֻּנוּ serves in two voices, the passive voice and the active voice. Had the prophet written נְשַדֹנוּ, in the passive voice, the expression would refer to the robbed and not to the robbers. Had he written שַדוּנוּ, in the active voice, the expression would refer to the robbers and not to the robbed. This way, it refers to both: we were given into the hand of those who robbed us. In Old French, there is the expression somes degatert nous, we were ravaged. Another explanation: נְשַׁדֻּנוּ means we brought upon ourselves that they robbed us.
He changes the portion of my people—The inheritance of the portion of my people has been exchanged to the enemy.
How will He turn to me to return our fields, which he divides—How will He turn again to me, to return our fields to us, which this enemy divides for himself? How is it possible to return them to me anymore? All these are the words of the lamenting one who takes up the parable. How will He turn to me—Kome se destornera amois? As in (Jud. 4:18) “Turn to me.... And he turned to her.”
On 2:5
who casts a line Divides a heritage. It is customary to divide a heritage with a measuring line.
Responsorial Psalm — Psalm 10:1-2, 3-4, 7-8, 14
Gospel — Matthew 12:14-21
Hilary of Poitiers
On 12:14
The Pharisees are moved with jealousy at what had been done; because beholding the outward body of a man, they did not recognize the God in His works; The Pharisees went out and sought counsel against him, how they might destroy him.
On 12:15
And He knowing their plots withdrew, that He might be far from the counsels of the evil hearted, as it follows, Jesus knowing it departed thence.
On 12:16
On those whom He healed He enjoined silence, whence it follows, And he charged them that they should not make him known. For his restored health was a witness to each man. And by commanding them to hold their peace, He avoids all ostentation of Himself, and at the same time notwithstanding affords a knowledge of Himself in that very admonition to hold their peace; for the observance of silence proceeds from that very thing which is to be kept silent.
On 12:20
Or, he means this bruised reed that is not broken, to shew that the perishing and bruised bodies of the Gentiles, are not to be broken, but are rather reserved for salvation. He shall not quench a smoking flax, shews the feebleness of that spark which though not quenched, only moulders in the flax, and that among the remnants of that ancient grace, the Spirit is yet not quite taken away from Israel, but power still remains to them of resuming the whole flame thereof in a day of penitence.
On 12:20
Or, Until he shall send forth judgment to victory, that is, Until He shall take away the power of death, and bring in judgment and the return of His splendour.